Organisational Culture and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour: The Dark Side of Organisational Politics

Abstract Background and Purpose: Organisational politics can have a substantial negative effect on employees’ performance, however many organisations still do not pay attention to this organisational behaviour. In our study, we aim to examine the relationship between organisational culture and organisational citizenship behaviour through how employees perceive political behaviour within organisations. Methods: Convenience sampling technique has been employed, quantitative data were collected from 532 employees in the Jordan banking industry via online surveys. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses of the study. Results: Analyses showed that organisational culture within the banking industry has an effect on how employees perceive political behaviour. A negative perception of political behaviour by employees, in turn, has a negative influence on employees’ citizenship behaviour. These findings answer previous calls to investigate the destructive effect of organisational politics on employee outcomes. Conclusion: Organisations should pay more attention to the destructive effect of organisational politics and try to minimise such behaviour. Organisational citizenship behaviour, in contrast, benefits organisational performance, and the enhancement of this is recommended through the implementation of more effective policies and strategies.